Habits are a great part of life. The forming of proper ones should have
more attention than is usually given to them. Habits is a tendency
of mind to do that which it has done before. When considered in this
simple way habit becomes one of the great forces in our lives. It is by
taking advantage of this fact that we are able to develop rapidity and
efficiency in movement. This shows itself in playing games or musical
instruments and in later life in the operation of machines in office
and factory.
Every child begins to form habits with his first actions. He has his
individual way of dressing, which is simply the result of having
repeated this method several times. Each repetition adds to the
strength of the habit.
To correct a habit it will be necessary for you to suggest a new method
and see to it that it is repeated a sufficient number of times to
become the stronger tendency. No habit is or can be formed without the
element of repetition.
Realizing that children are forming habits which will follow them
through life should suggest to the parent the importance of consciously
guiding the child in their formation. Do not allow careless,
inefficient, dawdling methods to become fixed. Of course, these may in
later years be changed to more efficient methods by the child himself,
but it will be at the expense of considerable effort and loss of time.
On the other hand, many children will not correct the habits and will
be handicapped by them all through life.
There are certain simple regulations of health that are of vital
importance to the life success of every one and the parent should
attend to their becoming habits while the child is small.
Mental efficiency and accuracy are quickly influenced by bodily
conditions. Poor health or physical inability are never accompanied
with 100% mental efficiency. You may at once think of some examples
of men of high mental caliber who were deficient and handicapped
by physical disability. This is sometimes the case, but it is an
exception, and an illustration of success won, in spite of difficulty.
Think of what such an indomitable spirit could have accomplished in a
more perfect physical body.